CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY — An alleged online scammer on Friday returned the partial amount of the money that was sent to her by her victim in Bukidnon, after the latter's video showing him crying went viral on social media.
In an interview, the victim, Christian Paul Baran, 27, of Tankulan village, Manolo Fortich town in Bukidnon, said the suspect, Brien Maria Budiongan, returned the PHP11,000 and promised to return the remaining amount this week.
“That is what she said that she already spent the money that is why she only partially returned the PHP11,000,” Baran said.
Baran said he had sent PHP46,000 to the suspect for the camera that he had planned to buy for his part-time job as a photographer.
He started this part-time job when he was in college and wanted to buy a new camera for upgrade.
During the transaction, Baran said the suspect insisted on getting from him the PIN that would allow her to claim the payment from a money transfer center even without the camera being delivered yet.
He said he agreed after the suspect claimed being affected by Typhoon Odette last December.
“I was relieved because she is so kind and I was touched because they have been affected by Typhoon Odette and I just provided the PIN so that they can use the money,” he said.
The suspect, he said, has returned the money after the video, went viral on Facebook, showing the victim crying after learning he had been scammed.
Baran confirmed that the suspect was able to contact him again and requested that the viral video be deleted as she had already received threats from unidentified individuals.
The video was eventually deleted by Facebook due to some violations.
The Manolo Fortich Municipal Police is now investigating the incident.
“If possible, we will file a case because I am not the only person who victimized the suspect, there were a lot of us and she did a big transaction,” Baran said.
The suspect is a resident of Poblacion village, Valencia, Negros Oriental, though the money was claimed in Marikina City. (PNA)
